Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) conceded this week that he is more popular with Republicans than with members of his own party, a political reality he openly described as confusing.
According to Mediaite, Fettermans cross-party appeal was underscored on Monday when he became the lone Democrat to vote to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as Secretary of Homeland Security. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Fetterman had already cast the decisive vote to advance Mullins nomination out of committee after Chair Rand Paul (R-KY) opposed the pick.
Fetterman has repeatedly broken with his partys leadership and aligned with Republicans and President Donald Trump on several high-profile issues. Earlier this month, he was the only Democratic senator to oppose a war powers resolution aimed at curbing Trumps military actions against Iran, and during multiple government shutdown showdowns, he backed GOP efforts to fund the government rather than join Democrats in using shutdown threats as leverage for concessions.
He has also taken a firm pro-Israel stance in the war in Gaza, a position increasingly out of step with the progressive base but more in line with traditional bipartisan and conservative support for Americas closest Middle Eastern ally. The Pennsylvania senator appeared Wednesday on NewsNation, where he pushed back on a Quinnipiac poll that showed him 40 points underwater with Pennsylvania Democrats after being 68 points above water in 2023, a staggering 108-point reversal.
Thats just not accurate, Fetterman insisted. You know, there is one thats not valid. There was one around that same time that Im 50-50 with Democrats. He then pointed to alternative polling that he argued better reflects his standing with voters.
Fetterman cited Morning Consult data indicating his approval is stronger among Republicans than Democrats, an irony for a senator who claims to vote overwhelmingly with his party. Morning Consult came out roughly at the same time, he said. And Im at road 48, 49 with Democrats. And I was in the 60s for Republicans, without a doubt. For some strange way, I am more popular with Republicans, which is its confusing because I vote in the 90s Dem line. And I havent voted for the big ticket [items] Trump wants, like the big beautiful bill or SAVE Act, and for those things. So, I mean, theres a lot of misinformation, I guess. But I am guilty of being a very proud supporter of Israel. And I do support [Operation] Epic Fury.
For conservatives, Fettermans record on border security, Israel, and government funding underscores how far todays Democratic Party has drifted leftward when even a senator who vote[s] in the 90s Dem line is punished in the polls for backing basic national security priorities. His growing popularity with Republicans, despite his resistance to some of President Trumps big ticket agenda items, highlights a broader realignment in which voters increasingly reward those willing to defy progressive orthodoxy on foreign policy, immigration, and support for Israel.
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